JAMES MATTHEW ARCEO VERGARA, MS

Nutritionist

My roots began in West Side Long Beach, California where I learned at 8 years old how to cook fundamental Filipino and Vietnamese cuisine. It all started with rice. Mastering the cooking of rice was fundamental to cooking everything else, or so my elders taught me. I’ve taken this wisdom of instilled fundamentals through my young and adult life to nourish myself and others in the process. Making food for folks has always brought me joy. To witness a cascade of emotions ripple across someone's face when they eat is truly special. I’m glad to be able to do that now professionally. I’ve loved science–and to be a scientist– before I even considered working my way to becoming a chef. Thus, I looked and waited for an opportunity to fulfill both: graduating from the Masters of Science in Nutrition program at the National University of Natural Medicine here in Portland, Oregon was pivotal in the trajectory of my career. I was able to focus and understand the complexities of nutritional biochemistry whilst exploring culinary avenues on how to initiate those beneficial reactions through eating and cooking basics. During my studies, I really wanted to give back to the communities which brought me up: poor, LGBTQ+, brown, first gen, because without understanding the imposed struggle, there wouldn't be succession of values. Empowering marginalized communities to cook their nutrient dense, native cuisine with the foods available to them is an amazing way to share one’s story and journey through life, through food and community. I am the Nutritionist at Quest Center focusing on education and creation of nutrient-dense meals in a clinical community kitchen setting. I am trained as a microbiologist, which in tandem with nutrition translates to a deep passion for exploring different cultures through food, microbes, and community. I shop where you shop and use the ingredients you have access to for creating nutritious meals. I believe that inclusive cooking starts with understanding the culinary basics to include knife skills, storage, recipe interpretation, seasoning, pantry development, fermentation, and so much more! I am so very excited to nourish you on your journey to wellness.